


My Older Sister

by MJEG



Category: Skulduggery Pleasant - Derek Landy
Genre: F/M, Sisters
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-11-04
Updated: 2017-01-31
Packaged: 2018-08-29 00:20:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 13,084
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8468602
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MJEG/pseuds/MJEG
Summary: If you thought Valkyrie Cain was stubborn or single-minded, wait until you meet her little sister.Alice Edgley wants to know more about her sister, Stephanie Edgley (Valkyrie Cain), and her interesting life. Alice is as hard to control as a young Valkyrie without a Skulduggery to guide her through. But Valkyrie needs her sister, more than she ever thought possible...





	1. Chapter 1

Alice Edgley pushed past her sister into the hairdresser’s. Stephanie wasn’t going to tell her what to do. Not anymore. She was fifteen years old and had had enough. Today was the day she was going to cut off her hair. It was cold inside the salon. It was bustling, like everywhere in Dublin was. Stephanie had planned to take her shopping and eating around the city; probably splashing around the inheritance she’d gotten from Gordon. Alice didn’t have any rich uncles to leave her ridiculous amounts of money. She didn’t want Fergus to, even though he wasn’t very pleasant. He wouldn’t leave it to her anyway. Stephanie hadn’t known Alice had booked an appointment, brought her own money and was ready to cut thirty centimetres off her mane of hair.

“Alice, if you don’t do this, I’ll get you ice cream,” Stephanie promised, wide eyed.  
“Get me a tattoo,” Alice smiled.  
“Don’t be ridiculous.”  
“Let me meet your boyfriend, then, Steph.”  
“I don’t have a boyfriend,” her older sister said, only half-lying. She guessed that she was talking to someone...  
“Then I have to get a hair cut.”  
“Fine, stupid. What’s my boyfriend’s name?”  
“Skulduggery Pleasant.”

The shock factor of this was incredible. Stephanie’s mouth sprung open. She looked like she’d been caught out. She rolled her eyes, trying to play it off. It was too late. Alice knew she had a boyfriend. Even on the nights she was staying at their house, she disappeared late into the night. Their parents talked about it sometimes, in hushed tones or worried voices. She wanted to know who he was. Some nights, her dad would walk out with Stephanie. Alice didn’t sleep very well lately. She would watch him walk her to an unusual-looking car, hug her tight and chat to a man for a few minutes. He was tall, and thin, and probably very good-looking. Their parents sheltered her and she knew it was about time for her to be in the loop.

“That’s a made-up name,” Stephanie shot at her. “Don’t do this, and we’ll talk about it more.”  
“Is he a lot older than you or something?”  
Stephanie narrowed her eyes. “I’m talking to the lady that runs this place.”  
“Oh God. You’ve turned into Beryl.”

Stephanie stormed up to the oldest, and in her opinion prettiest, hairdresser in the salon. Alice trailed silently behind her. Stephanie demanded her attention, about a mistake on a bill earlier. She drew her into a corner and asked her name. The hairdresser replied, frightened by the strong but pretty woman demanding her time. Stephanie suddenly changed tone. “Cara, I want you to listen to me. The girl that looks like me, Cara, you are to refuse to do her hair today. Cara, you tell her you're too busy. Cara, you will forget this later.”  
The woman nodded to each request and beamed nervously.

Alice turned and walked out. What on Earth was that? She decided to file it away for later. Stephanie noticed her leaving and followed her. She followed her until they got to Stephanie’s car. Alice got in and waited. She pulled a notepad from under the seat and began flicking through it. Dark shapes appeared on page after page. She barely registered it. Stephanie grabbed it off her. “Not for you,” Stephanie said.  
Alice just looked at her. She felt so sad. “Why can’t you let me do anything for myself, Steph? Just once?”  
Stephanie stared at her. Her hair was pulled into a short ponytail and she wore no earrings. Stephanie wore soft clothing in different shades of blue, red and black. She didn’t get dressed up often. She was practical, intelligent and funny. She was balanced and acted more like a mother than an older sister. She wasn’t like an older sister. She was a perfect reflection of a perfect person.  
“Mum would have gotten you in trouble too, you know.”  
“Are you Mum?” Alice squinted out the window.  
“I’m trying to keep you out of trouble.”  
“Then join me on adventures. Or take me on yours. I know nothing about your life. You’ve never introduced me to your boyfriends or friends. You’re always leaving on emergencies. You travel and make lots of money, you wouldn’t spend Gordon’s money like this if you weren’t. Your life is exciting. I don’t have to know the exciting bits,” Alice sighed. “I’d be happy if you told me any of it.”  
“I love you. I try to protect you, especially from things I don't think you would understand.”  
“You can’t protect me forever.”  
Stephanie’s dark eyes stood out in her face. She sized up Alice, like she was noticing more than how old and tall she was. It was impossible to tell what she was thinking. Alice held her breath and hoped she passed whatever test she was being put under. She didn’t look away from Stephanie’s gaze. It flicked back to Alice’s eyes and that seemed to make her decision. “I’m taking you to Tan’s.”  
“Not Skulduggery’s?”  
“Don’t push me, Alice. I’m serious.”  
But she started the car. Alice grinned.


	2. Chapter 2

Valkyrie did a lot of stupid things. She had once jumped from a tree branch to a rooftop. She had fought Gods, almost fallen off a train, used her dark-self as a tool (when she almost died, a couple of times) and had allowed a war criminal to operate on her to save the world from that dark-self. She had volunteered to sacrifice her soul to save the world. These things were stupid, but were also in the pursuit of saving the world or were noble. Or she did without realising. Anyway, she was about to do a stupid thing, and it wasn’t noble and she wasn’t doing it unwillingly. To put it nicely, Valkyrie was annoyed.

She rapped her knuckles against the steering wheel, dodging around mortal traffic. Alice sat beside her happily. Her dark hair was tangled and long. She was strong-minded and rebellious, but mostly to Valkyrie. Alice didn’t know about Valkyrie’s world of magic and monsters. Valkyrie was perfectly okay with it staying that way. But Alice had made too many right guesses for Valkyrie to let her continue on the trail. She would throw her off by introducing her to the most normal mages she knew. They could show Valkyrie, or Stephanie to Alice, was incredibly average. Tanith Low was the top of the list. Fletcher Renn was second. Skulduggery Pleasant was on an entirely different list. As in, no way was her path into magic going anywhere near her baby sister. Skulduggery had made arguments for showing Alice the world of magic before. Valkyrie wasn’t one to have fights with Skulduggery, her best friend, but she would over Alice.

They turned down a choppier part of town. There were warehouses for a stretch, than a collection of mage houses. They were all Sanctuary workers, or freelancers like Tanith Low. Tanith had finally set up shop in Ireland, after much tossing and turning. She had worked in England again while they were rebuilding relations, and then had returned “home” to Ireleand, as Tanith had called it. They pulled up in front of a vaguely dead garden and Valkyrie grabbed Alice’s arm as she went to get out.   
“This is a rough part of town,” Valkyrie told her.  
Alice rolled her eyes.  
“It is. Tanith moved from England when she was young. Not a lot of money to live close to her work and in good housing. Don’t make a deal about it.”  
Alice frowned at Valkyrie. “Hey, I’m not the one with lots of money. I don’t care where your friends live.”  
Valkyrie released her arm. Alice stood and stretched as Valkyrie locked up the car. She was a smart person. Valkyrie hadn’t thought much of the magical neighbourhoods Skulduggery had taken her to, when she was first introduced to magic. Not that she was introducing her sister to magic. She was protecting her from magic. By showing her mages. This was stupid. They opened the rusty gate and Alice walked onto the cobblestone path in Tanith’s garden ahead of Valkyrie. Tanith was inside, since loud, workout music was pumping…. Oh, God, no. Tanith was probably practicing her sword fighting. She would see Valkyrie’s car and assume she was alone. Valkyrie lunged forward but Alice had already rung the doorbell. Tanith answered nearly instantly, no sword in hand. 

“Hello,” Tanith smiled at Stephanie. “You must be Stephanie’s sister.”  
Alice beamed and stuck out her hand. “I certainly am. Alice Edgley.”   
Tanith had yoga pants and a singlet on. She stuck out her arm and Valkyrie hesitated as Tanith’s muscles rolled. She stepped forward quick enough to catch Alice’s look. Alice shook Tanith’s hand, and said, “Your arms…”  
“Yeah, they’re a bit of an eyeful.”  
“You must be the friend she’s always going to the gym with. They’re bigger than Steph’s!”  
Tanith broke into a grin. “That’s what I’m always telling her.”  
Valkyrie grinned. This was an okay level of stupid.   
“Are you working out now?”  
“I could show you,” Tanith stepped inside for them to come in.  
Valkyrie’s grin dropped. “Tanith’s workouts are intense. We should leave her to it.”  
Faster than Valkyrie, Alice ducked inside. Tanith hadn’t heard her. Alice certainly had. She was probably sword fighting, or flipping on walls or something. Valkyrie tried to follow, but she didn’t know Tanith’s house. There was a right as soon as she walked in the door, which threw her. By the time she orientated where she was in the house, they were walking into a room down the hall.  
Valkyrie strode along the hallway with wallpapered pink flowers to where she heard some distinct giggling. She frowned at the sound, following cautiously. The door was propped open and the room was barely lit. Valkyrie walked in to see her best friend and little sister talking loud over the music.  
“I didn’t know anyone around her did this,” Alice asked, not noticing her sister.  
She was gesturing to the middle of the room. Tanith was using one hand to hold herself up from a bar in the roof, next to a very interesting object. Valkyrie raised an eyebrow, her heart slowing. Tanith Low giggled, arm muscles bulging as she swung herself forward and dropped onto the floor.  
“Want a go?” Tanith offered it to Stephanie.  
“I’ve never done it before,” Alice informed Tanith, jumping to and grabbing the bar with both hands. She saw her older sister, who was staring at the pole beside the bar, and frowned.  
“It’s for fitness, Steph,” Alice narrowed her eyes at her. “Don’t be a prude.”  
Tanith clapped a hand over her mouth. Valkyrie glared at her and turned on her sister, “I’m not a prude.”  
“She’s not a prude,” Tanith echoed, waggling her eyebrows at Alice.  
Alice laughed aloud, somehow believing a stranger more than her sister. She adjusted her grip on the bar and attempted a pull up. Her arms shook with strain and she fell. Tanith walked up and grabbed the bar with a different grip to Alice, then started pulling properly. Valkyrie felt a flash of memory – Tanith had taught her to do that. Alice watched carefully. Her dark hair was windswept and her eyes were a pretty blue. The scene looked… right. “Your turn.”  
Alice sprung up, but she had the wrong hold. Valkyrie stepped forward eagerly, but Alice let herself drop immediately. She put her feet further apart and jumped again. Her arms rolled and she lifted properly. Her bicep rose higher as she did a pull-up, held, held, held… and dropped. She grinned ruefully as her feet hit the floor.  
“Better than Va- Stephanie,” Tanith said, smile slipping.  
Alice looked at her for a moment. Valkyrie held her breath. Then, “Thanks, Tanith.”

They chatted about school with her little sister for a few minutes, though Valkyrie said meaningfully she had to get Alice home soon. After a little prodding, Tanith showed Alice how the pole was used too (for fitness). Alice mimicked Tanith near-perfectly. She looked surprised when Stephanie used it, and they all laughed and decided Tanith was best. Tanith flicked long blonde hair off her shoulder at the compliment, which looked funny, considering she was hanging upside-down on the pole at the time. It also, Valkyrie thought, may have looked a bit stupid. But that was okay, since it was safe. For Alice. For her secret. For Valkyrie.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feedback encouraged! Hope you enjoy my portrayal of the Skulduggery Pleasant cast.


	3. Chapter 3

Valkyrie took a taxi from the beach to her house. A boy with blonde hair brooded beside her. He was sullen and sour. He didn’t like not teleporting. But the Haggard day was too uncertain for Alice to think they had walked, and Valkyrie was taking no chances with her too bright, younger sister. Her older companion didn’t take things quite so seriously. They leaned close to talk out of earshot of the taxi driver.

“I’ve met her before, Val, it’ll be fine,” he told her.  
“When she was six months old.”  
“Hey, she was, like, three, the last time I saw her.”  
“That’s my point. She’s nearly sixteen.”  
“That’s interesting…”  
“Fletcher, she’s fifteen still, no hitting on my sister.”  
“God, no!” he looked wounded. “I was thinking about me when I was sixteen.”  
“Arrogant, dim-witted-“  
“Good-looking, great hair-“  
“In love with himself-“  
“Definitely in love.”  
She looked at him in surprise. His eyes widened too. The window blurred past and Fletcher’s hair was flat, flatter than she’d ever seen it. He cut it shorter now, but he was about due for a cut. He didn’t muss it or play with his hair. The car rocked and his hand slid out over hers. Her breath shot out. He opened his mouth and the taxi braked to a stop. They were in front of her family home. She took her hand back and got out of the car, then remembered to pay the driver. She struggled to get her purse out of her handbag quickly, and by the time she gave out the fee, Fletcher was at the door. 

They didn’t need to knock, but Alice opened the door for them anyway. She hugged Valkyrie, which was welcome, and went to do the same to Fletcher. Valkyrie stepped between them, putting an arm out. She gave Fletcher a look, though he wasn’t the one cracking on here.

“What’s wrong, Steph?” Alice asked innocently.  
“A bit forward,” Valkyrie admonished her.  
“But… he’s your boyfriend?” Alice turned to Fletcher. “Aren’t you Skulduggery?”  
Fletcher laughed out loud. Really loud. Very hard.   
“No, no, no. I’m not Stephanie’s boyfriend. Or Skulduggery.”  
“This is Fletcher,” Valkyrie narrowed her eyes at her sister. “I told you, I was introducing you to a friend today. And I told you Skulduggery is a made up name.”  
“You said you were showing me a close friend, if I know what you mean.”  
Valkyrie blushed. She had said that. She glanced at Fletcher, who was grinning.   
“Then it’s a need to know basis. Stephanie resists my charms even now.”  
“That’s a shame,” Alice sighed. “Stephanie has never shown me any of her boyfriends.”

Alice walked them inside the house. Valkyrie frowned to herself. She had had boyfriends. There was the guy from the rebuilt Irish Sanctuary, and the British guy, and the American. She never introduced them to her sister. In fact, Fletcher was one of the only ones to meet her parents. They all met Skulduggery, though. To varying degrees of success. How had none of her boyfriends met Alice?

Fletcher had to step out of the room to take a phone call. Valkyrie watched her sister closely. It had been a week since she’d first mentioned Skulduggery Pleasant, and she’d held on to him. Part of her wanted to ask what her parents were saying about him. The more logical part held her back. Alice pulled a cereal box out from the cupboard and began making cereal while they stood in the kitchen. Valkyrie frowned, looking at the bright yellow kitchen clock, a Christmas present from her father to her mum. It was two in the afternoon.

“Why are you making cereal?”  
“I’m hungry.”  
“That’s a breakfast food.”  
“Mm,” Alice said as she rummaged in the fridge for milk.   
“Why are you in tracksuit pants?”  
Alice didn’t answer, choosing instead to pour her milk into a white bowl. She shrugged and started shovelling it in her mouth. Her shirt was very long, and her hair was more untidy than usual. She brushed her hair out of her eyes self-consciously. Valkyrie gave her a look. “Did you just get up?”  
“I slept in.”  
“To 2PM?”  
“1:55,” she said defensively. “I went out last night.”  
“With who?”  
“Skulduggery Pleasant.”  
Fletcher Renn laughed from the doorway. “She’s funnier than you.”  
“Impossible,” Alice’s sister growled, staring him down as he approached her.  
“Likely,” Alice protested, rinsing out the remainders of her cereal bowl.  
“Impossible,” Fletcher echoed, staring at Valkyrie’s eyes. He put his arm down on the chair beside her. She looked back at him, remembering kissing in her kitchen when her parents weren’t home. She smiled about holding his hand, which tensed against the chair he was still holding. She could see the tenderness in his face, from when he first held Alice and from when he first saw her bleeding from a fight with Billy-Ray Sanguine. She saw the vulnerability of when she broke his heart and told him she had been kissing Caelan. She had hurt him so much, but he never hesitated to help her out. Even when she didn’t deserve it. They were good friends to each other.

Alice dropped a spoon onto the floor. Valkyrie jumped backwards, head snapping to the noise. Alice yawned before reaching down to pick it up. Her hair stuck up at the back. She was still adorable. Fletcher sat at the table, staring at the cereal box. Valkyrie walked around to the cupboard, pouring a bowl for Fletcher, and herself. He grinned broadly when she slid it in front of him, and Alice sat beside him at the table, rolling her eyes. Valkyrie ate her own noisily. Alice asked Fletcher loads of questions about what ‘Stephanie’ was like as a teenager. Valkyrie enjoyed answering the questions in her head.

“Did she get in trouble at school?” She was rarely at school. She never missed a grade. Her parents thought she went to school every day. She passed her exams. She had lots of friends.   
Fletcher’s answer: “I don’t remember. She was smart, God, she could run circles around me. She knew she was smart. She knew to challenge people at the right times… some of the time.”  
“Did she have many boyfriends?” Not as many as she would have liked. She had Fletcher, who was a teleporter and a suspect/potential victim in a murder case she was solving. She lost him because she cheated with an obsessive vampire. Her and Fletcher then killed the vampire when he attempted to turn Valkyrie into a vampire herself. Valkyrie had had kissed a boy who barely existed and then the middle aged man he really was had hit on her.   
Fletcher said: “She barely dated. She had one steady boyfriend for a year or two. And dated an idiot for a couple of months.”  
“What happened?” She glanced at Fletcher and saw he was staring. Alice looked at her sister too. Valkyrie’s expression didn’t change. He could tell her the truth, if he so chose. She shouldn’t have done it. She regretted it. She regretted justifying it to herself, and holding onto a relationship that would hurt him.  
Fletcher hesitated. “They hurt each other pretty bad… it was more Stephanie’s fault than his. She was beautiful though, so he forgave her. Eventually.”  
Valkyrie blushed and smiled. Alice raised an eyebrow at her, not missing a beat. Her little sister didn’t push the issue, though, which she was grateful for. Fletcher excused himself, saying he had to get to work. The sky had cleared considerably, so Valkyrie didn’t glare as he walked out the door.  
“Aren’t you going to walk Fletcher out?” Alice asked innocently.   
Valkyrie walked outside to catch Fletcher. He turned to her. “Did I forget something?”  
“Your thank-you,” she hugged him. His chest was warm and his shirt felt nice against her collarbones.   
Fletcher held her closely after, frowning. “You look… tired, Valkyrie.”  
“I’m overworked,” she smiled. “But it’s with Skulduggery, so I’m happy.”  
She thought about her case for a moment, shuddering. She had been up against the worst of the worst… but maybe not the evilest of the evil. She pushed the thought away – today was about Alice. And she was talking to Fletcher… she could talk about it to Skulduggery soon.  
“Secrets don’t suit you,” he said, hands dropping off her shoulders.  
“You know this is a big case, I can’t discuss it.”  
“I mean hiding this world from Alice. She’s meant to be in it. Can’t you feel it?”  
“Fletcher, never. Alice is never going to be in danger like me, worry about her true name or some maniac going after her. She’s going to be safe and happy.”  
“She’s in danger the minute someone finds out about her! She worries you’re in trouble. She would worry about some regular maniac attacking her. She’s wondering who Skulduggery is, and I have a feeling she’s going to find safety and happiness with or without you showing her. But you might not be a part of that if you don’t stop pushing her into the dark!”  
Valkyrie squinted off into the distance. Her mouth tasted bitter. “I don’t want to hear that you’ve been back here. Ever. Mum and Dad will-“  
“Valkyrie, don’t,” he pleaded.   
“Tell me if you do. Skulduggery and I won’t be happy if you do. If you suggest this to Tanith or anyone, I’ll never speak to you again. For now, I think you need to stop interfering. Fletcher, I want you to go away for a while. We don’t, just don’t work together very well.”  
Fletcher’s eyes flashed. “We aren’t even dating, Stephanie.”  
“You were too immature to be a boyfriend, you know. I thought maybe, maybe we could be friends, but that only works when you aren’t around. You don’t know what it’s like to be responsible, absolutely responsible, for someone. For someone you love, anyway. You were too immature to be good for someone, and you’re too immature now, to be anyone who isn’t an assassin’s boyfriend or even friend. I think it’d be better if you left.”  
Fletcher’s face crumpled. He looked open and vulnerable for a beat, but then he snapped back into himself. He looked at Valkyrie like he knew exactly what she was. And then his look shifted to disregard. He even gave a small huff of a laugh.   
“Valkyrie Cain,” he said loudly. “When the time comes that your sister won’t talk to you, don’t put me on your speed dial. When she needs rescuing, don’t call me. When you need me to teleport her to a hospital, you should call me, mostly because it’ll be too late anyway. You could never choose to let go. Of this world, of Darquesse, of me, or Alice. You'll just go back to Skulduggery. Even he doesn’t believe in you, now.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed this! The chapters are getting progressively longer. Feedback encouraged as usual


	4. Chapter 4

Valkyrie took a taxi from the beach to her house. A boy with blonde hair brooded beside her. He was sullen and sour on the surface. He didn’t like using taxis when he could be teleporting. But the Haggard day was too uncertain for Alice to think they had walked, and Valkyrie was taking no chances with her younger, too bright sister. Her older companion didn’t take things quite so seriously. They leaned close to talk out of earshot of the taxi driver.

“I’ve met her before, Val, it’ll be fine,” he told her.  
“When she was six months old.”  
“Hey, she was, like, three, the last time I saw her.”  
“That’s my point. She’s nearly sixteen.”  
“That’s interesting…”  
“Fletcher, she’s fifteen still, no hitting on my sister.”  
“God, no!” he looked wounded. “I was thinking about me when I was sixteen.”  
“Arrogant, dim-witted-“  
“Good-looking, great hair-“  
“In love with himself-“  
“Definitely in love.”  
She looked at him in surprise. His eyes widened too. The window blurred past and Fletcher’s hair was flat, flatter than she’d ever seen it. He cut it shorter now, but he was about due for a cut. He didn’t muss it or play with his hair. The car rocked and his hand slid out over hers. Her breath shot out. He opened his mouth and the taxi braked to a stop. They were in front of her family home. She took her hand back and got out of the car, then remembered to pay the driver. She struggled to get her purse out of her handbag quickly, and by the time she gave out the fee, Fletcher was at the door. 

They didn’t need to knock, but Alice opened the door for them anyway. She hugged Valkyrie, which was welcome, and went to do the same to Fletcher. Valkyrie stepped between them, putting an arm out. She gave Fletcher a look, though he wasn’t the one cracking on here.

“What’s wrong, Steph?” Alice asked innocently.  
“A bit forward,” Valkyrie admonished her.  
“But… he’s your boyfriend?” Alice turned to Fletcher. “Aren’t you Skulduggery?”  
Fletcher laughed out loud. Really loud. Very hard.   
“No, no, no. I’m not Stephanie’s boyfriend. Or Skulduggery.”  
“This is Fletcher,” Valkyrie narrowed her eyes at her sister. “I told you, I was introducing you to a friend today. And I told you Skulduggery is a made up name.”  
“You said you were showing me a close friend, if I know what you mean.”  
Valkyrie blushed. She had said that. She glanced at Fletcher, who was grinning.   
“Then it’s a need to know basis. Stephanie resists my charms even now.”  
“That’s a shame,” Alice sighed. “Stephanie has never shown me any of her boyfriends.”

Alice walked them inside the house. Valkyrie frowned to herself. She had had boyfriends. There was the guy from the rebuilt Irish Sanctuary, and the British guy, and the American. She never introduced them to her sister. In fact, Fletcher was one of the only ones to meet her parents. They all met Skulduggery, though. To varying degrees of success. How had none of her boyfriends met Alice?

Fletcher had to step out of the room to take a phone call. Valkyrie watched her sister closely. It had been a week since she’d first mentioned Skulduggery Pleasant, and she’d held on to him. Part of her wanted to ask what her parents were saying about him. The more logical part held her back. Alice pulled a cereal box out from the cupboard and began making cereal while they stood in the kitchen. Valkyrie frowned, looking at the bright yellow kitchen clock, a Christmas present from her father to her mum. It was two in the afternoon.

“Why are you making cereal?”  
“I’m hungry.”  
“That’s a breakfast food.”  
“Mm,” Alice said as she rummaged in the fridge for milk.   
“Why are you in tracksuit pants?”  
Alice didn’t answer, choosing instead to pour her milk into a white bowl. She shrugged and started shovelling it in her mouth. Her shirt was very long, and her hair was more untidy than usual. She brushed her hair out of her eyes self-consciously. Valkyrie gave her a look. “Did you just get up?”  
“I slept in.”  
“To 2PM?”  
“1:55,” she said defensively. “I went out last night.”  
“With who?”  
“Skulduggery Pleasant.”  
Fletcher Renn laughed from the doorway. “She’s funnier than you.”  
“Impossible,” Alice’s sister growled, staring him down as he approached her.  
“Likely,” Alice protested, rinsing out the remainders of her cereal bowl.  
“Impossible,” Fletcher echoed, staring at Valkyrie’s eyes. He put his arm down on the chair beside her. She looked back at him, remembering kissing in her kitchen when her parents weren’t home. She smiled about holding his hand, which tensed against the chair he was still holding. She could see the tenderness in his face, from when he first held Alice and from when he first saw her bleeding from a fight with Billy-Ray Sanguine. She saw the vulnerability of when she broke his heart and told him she had been kissing Caelan. She had hurt him so much, but he never hesitated to help her out. Even when she didn’t deserve it. They were good friends to each other.

Alice dropped a spoon onto the floor. Valkyrie jumped backwards, head snapping to the noise. Alice yawned before reaching down to pick it up. Her hair stuck up at the back. She was still adorable. Fletcher sat at the table, staring at the cereal box. Valkyrie walked around to the cupboard, pouring a bowl for Fletcher, and herself. He grinned broadly when she slid it in front of him, and Alice sat beside him at the table, rolling her eyes. Valkyrie ate her own noisily. Alice asked Fletcher loads of questions about what ‘Stephanie’ was like as a teenager. Valkyrie enjoyed answering the questions in her head.

“Did she get in trouble at school?” She was rarely at school. She never missed a grade. Her parents thought she went to school every day. She passed her exams. She had lots of friends.   
Fletcher’s answer: “I don’t remember. She was smart, God, she could run circles around me. She knew she was smart. She knew to challenge people at the right times… some of the time.”  
“Did she have many boyfriends?” Not as many as she would have liked. She had Fletcher, who was a teleporter and a suspect/potential victim in a murder case she was solving. She lost him because she cheated with an obsessive vampire. Her and Fletcher then killed the vampire when he attempted to turn Valkyrie into a vampire herself. Valkyrie had had kissed a boy who barely existed and then the middle aged man he really was had hit on her.   
Fletcher said: “She barely dated. She had one steady boyfriend for a year or two. And dated an idiot for a couple of months.”  
“What happened?” She glanced at Fletcher and saw he was staring. Alice looked at her sister too. Valkyrie’s expression didn’t change. He could tell her the truth, if he so chose. She shouldn’t have done it. She regretted it. She regretted justifying it to herself, and holding onto a relationship that would hurt him.  
Fletcher hesitated. “They hurt each other pretty bad… it was more Stephanie’s fault than his. She was beautiful though, so he forgave her. Eventually.”  
Valkyrie blushed and smiled. Alice raised an eyebrow at her, not missing a beat. Her little sister didn’t push the issue, though, which she was grateful for. Fletcher excused himself, saying he had to get to work. The sky had cleared considerably, so Valkyrie didn’t glare as he walked out the door.  
“Aren’t you going to walk Fletcher out?” Alice asked innocently.   
Valkyrie walked outside to catch Fletcher. He turned to her. “Did I forget something?”  
“Your thank-you,” she hugged him. His chest was warm and his shirt felt nice against her collarbones.   
Fletcher held her closely after, frowning. “You look… tired, Valkyrie.”  
“I’m overworked,” she smiled. “But it’s with Skulduggery, so I’m happy.”  
She thought about her case for a moment, shuddering. She had been up against the worst of the worst… but maybe not the evilest of the evil. She pushed the thought away – today was about Alice. And she was talking to Fletcher… she could talk about it to Skulduggery soon.  
“Secrets don’t suit you,” he said, hands dropping off her shoulders.  
“You know this is a big case, I can’t discuss it.”  
“I mean hiding this world from Alice. She’s meant to be in it. Can’t you feel it?”  
“Fletcher, never. Alice is never going to be in danger like me, worry about her true name or some maniac going after her. She’s going to be safe and happy.”  
“She’s in danger the minute someone finds out about her! She worries you’re in trouble. She would worry about some regular maniac attacking her. She’s wondering who Skulduggery is, and I have a feeling she’s going to find safety and happiness with or without you showing her. But you might not be a part of that if you don’t stop pushing her into the dark!”  
Valkyrie squinted off into the distance. Her mouth tasted bitter. “I don’t want to hear that you’ve been back here. Ever. Mum and Dad will-“  
“Valkyrie, don’t,” he pleaded.   
“…Tell me if you do. Skulduggery and I won’t be happy if you do. If you suggest this to Tanith or anyone, I’ll never speak to you again. For now, I think you need to stop interfering, Fletcher. I want you to go away from me for a while. We definitely, definitely don’t work together very well.”  
Fletcher’s eyes flashed. “We aren’t even dating, Stephanie.”  
“You were too immature to be a boyfriend, you know. I thought maybe, maybe we could be friends, but that only works when you aren’t around. You don’t know what it’s like to be responsible, absolutely responsible, for someone. For someone you love, anyway. You were too immature to be good for someone, and you’re too immature now, to be with anyone who isn’t an assassin. I think it’d be better if you left now, without me.”  
Fletcher’s face crumpled. He looked open and vulnerable for a beat, but then he snapped back into himself. He looked at Valkyrie like he knew exactly what she was. And then his look shifted to disregard. He even gave a small huff of a laugh.   
“Valkyrie Cain,” he said loudly. “When the time comes that your sister won’t talk to you, don’t put me on your speed dial. When she needs rescuing, don’t call me. If you need me to teleport her to a hospital, you should call me, mostly because it’ll be too late anyway. You could never choose to let go. Of this world, of Darquesse, of me and not of Alice. Go back to Skulduggery. Even he doesn’t believe in you and what you’re doing, now.”


	5. Chapter 5

It was safe to say Alice Edgley was good with computers, but that wasn’t how she got into Stephanie’s phone. Stephanie left her bag on the kitchen table and ran upstairs to her old room. She looked tired. Whatever she really did for a living took a lot out of her. But that wasn’t the information Alice was looking for when she tried to hack her older sister’s phone. She guessed Stephanie’s birthday, then a couple of variations of the usual passwords. Then she tried her own birthday and, sure enough, that was Stephanie’s password. It wasn’t that Steph wasn’t opening up about her life. In fact, she told Alice lots of things about what she was doing, about meeting Tanith for lunch and how she’d known Fletcher for a long time. She had even said work was keeping her busy, and she sometimes thought another job would do her headspace good. It wasn’t that Stephanie wasn’t telling her things or introducing her to people. The fact was that Alice knew her older sister wasn’t giving the whole picture. Stephanie Edgley had had enough chances to tell the truth. Alice was taking her opportunities to find it out wherever possible, including asking Fletcher loads of questions… and going through Stephanie’s phone.

Alice scrolled through her contacts. She was looking for a company number that she could Google. Then she could find out what Stephanie really did for a living. Or maybe a number under ‘Babe’ that she could put into Facebook, or she could turn her number on private and call it or something. Honestly, she knew snooping through Steph’s phone wouldn’t go anywhere – but it would get out some of her frustration with the constant evasiveness. Message banners popped up on the screen:  
Fletcher: That could have gone better  
Fletcher: Val, I’ve said all I need to  
Fletcher: And I’m not saying sorry

Alice frowned at the phone. Val? Maybe he had the wrong number. She scrolled past the R’s, and then stopped short. Alice stumbled backwards into the kitchen counter, mouth open. A car pulled into the driveway. She glanced outside and saw her parents, laughing, and climbing out of their car. Alice bit her lip. Her bag was packed with a towel and bathers, in case the sky cleared up. She raced out the room with it over her shoulder, and the phone still open to that fateful contact. Her parents hugged her and gave her a tight smile.

“I heard you were meeting Fletcher today,” her mother, Melissa, smiled.  
“I remember when I first met Fletcher,” her father said wistfully.   
“So when are you going to introduce us to your first boyfriend?”  
“I don’t think so,” her father shook his head. “I have high hopes for this one.”  
“Ah,” Alice said, suspicions confirmed. “When did they stop dating?”   
Her mum shrugged. “I had no clue what Steph was up to most of the time. She was pretty independent.”  
Alice tried to look happy about that. “As independent as me?”  
“Not quite, kiddo,” her dad grinned, and walked inside.  
Her mum stopped for a minute. She looked deep into her eyes, and Alice didn’t hold the stare. She looked down at her toes, hand coiled around the phone in the bag that swung from her shoulder. Melissa put a hand on her arm. Alice tensed.  
“Do you still want to get your hair short? We can work it out for next week.”  
Alice smiled. “I think I’d like that.”  
“It’ll make swimming easier, too. You’re much better at it than Steph was, you know.”  
“Hard to believe,” Alice said, trying to move past.  
“We do love you, Alison. Stephanie likes to think she knows better, but you’ve got to make your own choices in life. I know you’re going to make good ones and you should know it too. Sisters drift sometimes. I wish I’d had you two closer together. Stephanie would have thought more as she was growing up, and she makes you think too much now because of it.  
“If things get too hard, Alison, I’m going to step in. You’re never too old to have a lecture from me, and neither is the other one.”  
Alice laughed, heart still racing. Her mum hugged her before they said goodbye. Stephanie’s light was on upstairs. She walked quickly to the beach. The sky was bright for Haggard and she walked around the main part for a few minutes. There were too many people in this spot. She walked back down the street, and then took a turn onto a small trail. It led to a more private beach. She sat on the grassy part of the sand and grabbed out Stephanie’s phone. It vibrated with messages… from the very contact Stephanie had found. She got into the messages and read them, heart racing. Part of her felt awful for doing this, but another part thrilled at being right.

Skulduggery: Fletcher called me. Don’t be angry.  
Skulduggery: For that matter, don’t sulk.  
Skulduggery: We need to talk. I don’t really know what’s going on, but we need to work tonight anyway. Nearly in Haggard.  
Skulduggery: Are you up to it? I’ll turn up in your garden if you don’t answer me

Stephanie’s fingers raced across the screen before she realised what she was doing.

I went for a walk, tried to calm down. Went down a small path, but I can meet you at the pier. Meet me at the very edge? I’ll probably be there after you  
Skulduggery: I’m the one with black hair and devilish charm. Oh, and a beautiful suit

Alice didn’t bother responding. She ran back through the path, and walked onto the path again. She nearly tripped in her haste. Her phone rang in her bag, but she ignored it. Everyone thought she was swimming anyway. The pier was crowded and she walked to the very end before she spotted Skulduggery Pleasant. She raised her eyebrows at the figure that faced the rocks and sea beyond. 

His suit was beautiful. It was in a dark blue hue, with a red tie. He folded his arms, standing unnaturally still. He was tall. His hat tipped forward, but black hair escaped the rim. He needed a haircut. Otherwise, his face was unremarkable, aside from the high cheekbones. Skulduggery Pleasant ignored the people around him. They seemed buffeted away from him. She approached him, not entirely sure what she wanted from the stranger. She wanted to know why her parents wouldn’t talk about him, why Stephanie pretended he didn’t exist. So she walked through the sudden gust of wind and leaned against the railing too.

“Nice weather, isn’t it?” he said in a smooth, Irish accent.  
“Sure is,” she nodded, looking out to the rocks beneath. Spray brushed her feet.  
“Looks like you’re supposed to be swimming.”  
She glanced down at her bag, the protruding towel.  
“Sure am. Waiting for someone?”  
“Yes. She’s a little late. In fact, she looks a lot like you.”  
“Funny that.”  
“She’s older though.”  
“Oh yeah.”  
“And looks less guilty.”  
“I’m not guilty.”  
A smile slid onto his lips. “One moment, just sending a friend a text.”  
He took out a small phone and typed a single word. He put it back in his pocket, and the phone in her hand vibrated. He gave her a piercing look. She slipped the phone into her bag. She looked into his eyes. They didn’t focus on her, but he looked strangely amused.  
“You’re stealing things? At least you’re not breaking them. I’d guess you’re Stephanie’s sister.”  
“I’d guess you’re Skulduggery. You know who I am?”  
“Strong willed, witty, doesn’t suffer fools gladly… sound familiar?”  
“Somewhat,” she hesitated. “Sounds like Stephanie.”  
“How about smart, capable, too old for her own good? That’s what Stephanie tells me. Perhaps rebellious, intuitive and resourceful are more to the point.”  
“I think we should be to the point.”  
He smiled, but his eyes didn’t quite focus. Maybe he needed glasses?  
“Fine then. Can we talk while I take you home?”  
“Who said I’m heading home?”  
“I did. I’m the adult authority here.”  
“I don’t know you. I don’t view you as an authority.”  
He laughed. Then he cocked his head. Stephanie did that sometimes. He began walking away, slow enough for her to catch. She did, grinding her teeth. This wasn’t going to plan. He weaved past people and stopped at a van. She cut in front of him. His lips twitched and sprung into a grin. She stood in the way of the driver’s side door. “Why do you call her Valkyrie?”  
His smile dropped. “It’s a pet name,” he burst out. “It’s rude to read people’s texts.”  
“So only you use it?”  
He hesitated for a beat. “Yes. It’s an old one. I use it because she’s a battler.”  
“Really?”  
He nodded. “We should go.”  
“Then why does Fletcher use it? And Tanith?”  
He swivelled to her. “Why do you think, Alice?”  
She looked at him for a long moment. “Is Skulduggery your real name?”  
“It’s what my friends call me. I had another one.”  
She looked at him for a long moment. His chin angled towards her stubbornly. His suit was odd attire. Stephanie rarely dressed up for work. Her gear always looked comfortable and ready for fieldwork. She was struck again by how thin he was. Skulduggery was what his friends called him? Was Valkyrie what her friends called her?  
“So, Valkyrie is a, a name Stephanie took? If she took it to protect her identity, why introduce Tanith and Fletcher to me? Why do they know her name is Stephanie?”  
“Don’t ask me questions about your sister. I’m taking you home. We can talk there.”

Stephanie’s phone rang in her bag. Alice hesitated. Skulduggery held his hand out for the phone. It was gloved. She stared at his hand for a moment before taking the ringing phone out of her bag. Skulduggery just waited.  
“I get one question, not related to Stephanie, if I give you the phone.”  
“Of course.”  
She handed him the phone. He answered it. Alice walked around to the other side of the van and hopped in. He did the same on the other side. Melissa, he mouthed to Alice. She frowned. This could be a lot of trouble, considering she had practically lied about where she was going. Skulduggery froze midway through closing the door. 

“I’ll be there in a minute,” he said quickly.  
He paused to hear the answer, but shut the door and started the engine.  
“I have Alice.”  
Alice’s heart raced. Something was very, very wrong.  
“If Stephanie says to go with the teleporter, you should. Looking after Alice is easier than looking after you and Desmond as well as Alice.”  
He put the phone down. Traffic was slow and light in Haggard. Skulduggery manoeuvred through the cars with ease. He was lead-footed. She buckled her seatbelt with difficulty. He didn’t bother. He blew past a stop sign and made a sharp turn onto Alice’s street. A silver car was parked across their nature strip.   
“Hide under the car,” he instructed.  
“I can help.”  
“I don’t doubt it, but unless you can climb buildings you’re no help to me.”  
“I’ve climbed houses before. I do the guttering now. Dad’s too old.”  
He sighed, scooping an arm around her waist. His arm was bony. He flexed and they streamed towards the window. Alice sucked in her breath. He kept the height as she climbed through Stephanie’s window. He climbed in behind.  
“I haven’t climbed houses like that before.”   
“Don’t say your name,” he said quietly, head turning to take in the room. “Don’t get in a fight. Stick to the walls. Your parents aren’t here. Stephanie is waiting for us. There was a car following us. He’ll be but a moment. We’re fighting here. If it gets bad, you run with Stephanie’s phone. You call every number until you get help.”  
Alice nodded.  
“Stephanie is hiding in the house somewhere. Whoever is here took a minute to get through the wards. They’ll be hiding or fighting Valkyrie, I mean Stephanie, and they’re here for something.”

Skulduggery opened the bedroom door. He took a deep breath and motioned for Alice to duck out of view. Her heart raced. This was more than she bargained for. A lot more, but she felt strangely relaxed. Hands gripped into fists, she jumped when Skulduggery started shouting.

“Honey, I’m home!”  
Silence rebounded back to him.   
“I hope you know Valkyrie eats intruders!”  
The house was quiet.  
“I put wards on the house because it made her breath terrible.”  
He stepped out into the hallway. She waited a beat before following.  
“I’d run. You’re in the house with two of the most powerful detectives in the world, you know.”  
He had his head at a funny angle. He put his hat on a table in the hall. It was a heavy moment.  
“One of us can sing reasonably well. The other is a fan of duets. That means if I sing, she will.”  
He stepped past a darkened doorway. “Do you want to risk that?”  
“Shut up, will you?” a man called from the ground level.  
Skulduggery blurred towards the stairs. A man was already running up. Skulduggery jumped with feet forward. He kicked out with both. The guy – he was massive – fell back into the railing. He didn’t quite tip over, but he snarled. Skulduggery dusted himself off as the man came forward. Only, he didn’t throw a punch. His hands turned into claws and Skulduggery threw himself backwards. The guy laughed. Skulduggery rolled into a crouch and drew a gun.  
“Nice suburb Valkyrie lives in,” the man drawled. “Not sure it’s gunshot friendly.”  
Skulduggery took the safety off. “Do you think that bothers me?”  
Alice felt a presence behind her. She whirled and fell to the ground. She was caught in a girl’s arms and legs. A fist pounded into her cheek. She got an arm between them and pushed her away. The girl scrambled up and Alice pushed back to the wall. She used it to stand. The girl had long, brown hair. Alice clenched her fists, but when the girl ran towards her, she put her knee forward. The girl grabbed her hair as Alice kneed her stomach again and again. The girl threw her into the wall.

Alice smacked against the wall. The girl took a step back to brace herself. The girl raised her fists and the taloned man crashed into her. She fell to the floor. He grabbed the brunette as he got up. The talons sunk into her flesh. Alice scooted along the wall. He laughed and limped toward her. Skulduggery grunted. He thrust his hand towards the man-beast. He flew down the hall. From Skulduggery’s hand rushed air. Alice's head pounded. It was at that moment that Alice heard her sister, screaming.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feedback encouraged!  
> Funny story, I actually accidentally posted this chapter on my other story about Valkyrie Cain. Pretty short story too... now that I think about it...  
> Hope you enjoyed this chapter!


	6. Chapter 6

“Jump,” Skulduggery said, arms outstretched.  
She did and the air vacuumed her into his arms. His build was small but he caught her effortlessly. He ran to the stairway and vaulted it, as the brunette followed them down. With a flick of his wrist, the air threw her face-first into the wall. He let Alice go when she was steady. He made a beeline to the kitchen, where pots and pans were being flung.

Alice moved to follow. She was pulled up short. Stephanie Edgley had her hands held straight in front of her. They glowed with white light. A black jacket cloaked her torso and thighs. She looked menacing. Her hairline was bloody. Alice stared as a pan raced towards her hands. It exploded and the shards absorbed into her energy stream. Stephanie spun suddenly, her right fist connecting with a person Alice couldn’t see. Stephanie stepped forward, disappearing from sight. Alice took a step forward in time to see her older sister thrown forward. Movement behind her made Alice spin into the punch.

Her head snapped around. Her jaw throbbed. The second punch was worse. She fell to the ground but had the sense to start scooting away. The brunette moved forward, but paused as the house went quiet. Alice watched her cock her head towards the kitchen. She used this chance to stand. The brunette had moss green eyes. They flicked to the door. Alice didn’t open her mouth to call for help as the green eyes focused on her again. She felt like her teeth would fall out. 

The girl walked toward Alice slowly. Her final step was fast, but Alice had done dancing as a kid. She stepped back and the hand whipped past her. Alice kicked forward as hard as she could. The girl reacted too slowly. She didn’t get the full impact of the kick and was off-balance. Alice slammed her shoulder into the girl’s chest and she stumbled. Alice stalked after her, arm curving up to crunch her fist into her ribs. She stopped stumbling and tried to get her breath. Alice hesitated. Stephanie shouted something from in the kitchen. The green eyes flicked up to her. So did the girl’s foot. Alice turned, taking the hit on her hip and not her stomach. She grabbed the girl’s shoulders – taking them both by surprise – and kneed her gut. And again. She punched her very hard on the nose. The girl fell to the ground and Alice ran into the kitchen.

Stephanie was no longer throwing energy. Her hands weren’t in view. She was behind the kitchen counter. Alice ducked around the corner, sticking to the wall. Skulduggery fought two people. They had hoodies on. He threw fire at one in a grey hoodie. Alice did a double take. They ducked and Skulduggery waved his hand. The fire swirled back around. The grey hoodie rolled on the floor while the red hooded one jumped at Skulduggery, dragging him to the floor. He got him into a headlock somehow. Skulduggery appeared calm, and stood with some difficulty. The man looped his legs around Skulduggery’s waist. Skulduggery put his arms out and flailed as he jumped backwards. The man struggled as his friend took off his scorched hoodie. He had black, curly hair. A flash of white designs covered his lower back. Alice gasped. They looked like white scars. He tugged his blue shirt down before Alice could decide whether they were scars or tattoos. They were still beautiful. Skulduggery was laying into the guy on the ground. Alice shouted a warning but Skulduggery looked up too late. The guy with black hair yanked him up by his chest and collarbones. He spun him around and Alice ran forward despite his musculature.

She gasped. Skulduggery’s face was gone. There were no chunks of meat left on his face, or eyes. He still seemed aware, even though he didn’t have a brain. White-scars didn’t have any problems with pounding a skull. He punched Skulduggery again and again. Alice looked around for a weapon. Skulduggery seemed unable to hit back. She grabbed a chair and swung it like a baseball bat, only heavier. The chair didn’t break, like in the movies. The guy was tossed forward. Only, he took Skulduggery – the skeleton – with him. Her head swirled. How had he died so quickly?

The man Skulduggery had been punching sat up in a crouch. He got to his feet shakily. Blood dripped from his mouth and nose. His hair was ash-blonde, soaking wet at the base. He staggered past her and out of the house. Alice knew he was a bad guy to be in the house and attacking them. She couldn’t bring herself to attack someone injured trying to escape. Her eyes were dragged to the countertop. Stephanie hurled the brunette across it. A big guy grabbed her from the middle. She screamed as her legs swung over the sink and she landed half-in, half-out of the window. 

Alice gasped, mouth swinging open. Her jaw throbbed through her whole head. Alice’s teeth didn’t fall out, but she reached a hand up subconsciously. The big man grabbed Stephanie’s shoulders, hanging over the sink and counter. He pushed her outside. Stephanie didn’t appear back over the window. The big man turned to look around. The features on his face fought for prominence. His nose was big, his eyes were a piercing green and his teeth were wolfish. He looked to Skulduggery and Alice did too. Skulduggery had white-scars by the throat. The big man observed him for a moment and then his hand flashed up. A pan spun, end over end, to Skulduggery. Skulduggery dropped the boy as the big man climbed out the window. 

Alice tackled the boy as he made to run out of the room. He fell flat on the ground and began kicking and fighting. Skulduggery moved forward, smacking his arms with the pan. He clutched them together and Alice struggled up. Skulduggery’s skull shot up. Tyres squealed in the driveway and Stephanie screamed.

Skulduggery ran to the front door and Alice followed. A dim panic ran through her. She saw it at the same time as Skulduggery. The big man waved from the front seat of his vehicle and Alice’s jaw dropped in horror. In the back of the silver car of their attackers was her older sister, unconscious. They ripped out of the driveway before she could blink. Skulduggery ran outside, but the boy tackled him. The car disappeared - along with the chances of them following.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed this chapter :)


	7. Chapter 7

Skulduggery dragged the boy through the hallway and threw him into the wall with a sudden, and unnerving, ferocity. She didn’t say anything as the boy got to his feet unsteadily and Skulduggery used magic to pin him to the wall. She frowned, turning to Skulduggery with a surprising calm.

“Have you been using magic, this whole time?” she asked. “Are you alive?”  
“Yes and yes,” he said. “One moment, Valkyrie’s sister.”  
“Call me A-“   
“Where were they going?”  
She took a minute to recognise he was asking the white tattoos boy. He shrugged and Skulduggery sat on the edge of the surface, suddenly uncaring.  
“It’s your head,” he said simply.   
“What’s that supposed to mean?” the boy asked in an American accent, glancing between Skulduggery and the door.  
“Do you wonder why Valkyrie keeps her family home a secret? Why she hasn’t been showing off her little sister’s magic?”  
“She’s mortal,” he shot back, but he was unsure.  
“We’ve been trying to train her in Elemental magic, but she’s too powerful. See-“  
“She doesn’t even have a taken name!”  
“Her name is Ayda Dallas. Do you remember Billy-Ray Sanguine, and Tesseract? No, well, you’re a bit young. She has something of a combination. Lydia can touch your skin, and your muscles snap. Quite painful, very unnecessary. I’ll make her use it on you if you don’t tell me where your friends are headed.”

Just then, Fletcher appeared in the room. She jumped and took a few steps back. He sighed in relief and smiled. She didn’t return it. He stared around the room, before moving to Skulduggery. He just shook his head. Fletcher took a few breaths, suddenly zeroing in on the boy. Skulduggery snapped his head back to the boy as Fletcher ran to him. The boy ducked under the punch and got an arm around Fletcher’s middle. Fletcher kneed him in the stomach and Skulduggery took a step a moment before Fletcher was lifted into the air. He deposited Fletcher into Skulduggery’s legs and they both fell to the ground. He ran towards the door and Alice picked up the chair she had been using earlier, holding it outwards. A force ripped it out of her hands and slammed it into his back. Skulduggery was standing, hand outstretched. Fletcher’s side hurt, though he didn’t hold it, and he was getting to his feet slowly.

“Tell us where she is,” Alice said, voice low.  
“I can’t,” he said simply, giving up on his escape attempt and instead staring at her.

She wanted to know. He should tell her. Skulduggery didn’t know how to get the information: she would have to. Why was he doing this? What had Valkyrie done to them? Why wouldn’t he tell them? She focused on his eyes. Part of her wanted to punch him in the face, but she held that thought away, it was too distracting. His eyes grew wide and unfocused. Something was wrong. She felt herself falling forward; only her feet were firmly planted on the ground. They both gasped in unison as the lounge room disappeared. 

The backseat was cramped, but more so for the hostage in the seat beside her. They had really wanted the little sister. She would have been easier to kidnap and easier to keep. They wanted the attention of the Skeleton Detective, though, and they had it. She looked down at her hands. Her brown hair slid into her face, ruffled from the fight minutes before. Derek, when they found him again, would never let her live it down that she had lost a fight to a newbie, a mortal! But he had gotten caught. Where were they even going? She opened her mouth… Alice felt the boy trying to pull her out of his head and she shoved back, the scene dimming slightly. He gasped and she felt the falling feeling again. “We’re meeting the teleporter, and then it’s to the American Sanctuary for us.” 

He shoved her out of his mind and she noticed Skulduggery was speaking to him from where he stood, arms folded. She had picked up other things, things that weren’t solid information. Her mouth worked and the boy gathered up the chair, like he was preparing to sit in it. Throw it at the Skeleton, and jump through the window. Alice shouted his intention as the chair spun end-over-end at Skulduggery. Fletcher grabbed his arm and teleported, re-appearing beside Alice. The chair bounced off the couch and slid to the floor. He shook with anger and fear.

“What’s going on?” Skulduggery barked.  
“I was… I was in his mind. They’re going to the American Sanctuary.”  
Skulduggery tilted his head. “Fletcher, call China and tell her to boost the security on flights to America.”  
“They’re using a teleporter, her mind said.”  
Fletcher held up his hands. “You said you, read his mind, right? There’s no girl here.”  
“Pack bond,” Skulduggery said. “It means if Valkyrie’s sister reads his mind, she could get into his pack mates’ minds. I thought they were all extinct.”  
“We aren’t,” he said. There are more of us elsewhere.  
“Stop that,” she told him.   
He gave her a look of shock.  
“Stop what?” Fletcher asked.   
“He should stop thinking so loud.”  
“This is too weird, how are you reading my mind? I guess you can’t tunnel through flesh, or whatever the Skeleton Detective was making up.”  
Skulduggery sighed. “It was a good lie. Get back into his mind, please, and find the teleporter’s name. See if you can send her a thought from him. He might not be old enough to do that yet, but you might be able to.”

She closed her eyes, but that didn’t work. She stared at him, but he scrunched his eyes closed. Fletcher tried to talk a few times but Skulduggery cut him off. Fletcher’s annoyance was heavy on the air. She opened her eyes and slumped. Skulduggery thought for a moment.

“Don’t give up, try harder-“  
“Good advice,” the boy laughed, eyes springing open.

And she was in. She felt herself untethered and he tried closing his eyes, but she was too focused. She was drifting between wakefulness. The girl wasn’t dangerous – she could sleep. In no time, they would be in the Sanctuary. They wouldn’t be hunted, not anymore. She could take care of her little brothers. The teleporter was new and weak so they would have to hop between countries, and it would take days. Most countries didn’t allow magical passage to America… considering their ‘inclination’. Just their luck, to get stuck in the magical political backwoods. Civil rights did not extend to magical minorities – not with the new Elders.   
Derek started thinking rapidly to block her. You know, I’m hungry. The lights in this room sure are ugly. Valkyrie Cain wasn’t as hard to take down as I thought. Hey, we both got captured. Maybe I could bring back the little brain-invader, the one that’s probably listening to me. She’s my age… but so powerful. 

She felt his anguish over his powers. She probed against that thought and he shied, the information slipping through anyway. He couldn’t change like all the others. He couldn’t make a talon, let alone a full Shift. There was a chance he had other magic, but werewolves who were sorcerers were distrusted. His thoughts were fresher, more potent. She wanted to dive back in, halting herself just in time.

“Fletcher, do you know any other teleporters? I caught flashes of a person, but it’s hard to tell. They’re weak. They take days to go as far as America. Sound familiar?”  
Fletcher looked miserable. He shook his head.  
“I do,” Skulduggery said. “Her name is Emmie. She had offers all over the world, but she loved New York. She didn’t, however, like the American Sanctuary’s ways, last I spoke to her.”  
“Emmie,” Fletcher drew her name out. “I saw her in Dublin the other day! Never knew she was a teleporter, though. Catch Valkyrie’s sister up on the Americans, Skully.”  
Alice giggled at the nickname.   
“I better start with something else. I fought in a magic war. We were against Mevolent, an Elemental. He worshipped the Faceless Ones, a race of evil gods banished by the Ancients. We later found out, hundreds of years later, that Valkyrie’s family are descendants from the Ancients. The Faceless believers don’t like mortals, either. Mevolent fought us for a long time, but we were winning, until he staged attacks against key leaders of the fight. I was one of them. His favourite general murdered me before sticking my body on a pike and burning it for all to see. I was a bag of bones. Mystically, I was tied to my body, and managed to bring myself back together to reassemble my bones and re-join the fight.   
“This brings me back to the damned Americans. They’re a mixed pot usually. But they’ve become a haven for worshippers of the Faceless Ones and other assorted weirdos. Their Sanctuary – their magical government – isn’t helping the problem, simply because they’ve infiltrated the government. You look dizzy.”  
She sat on the edge of the couch, clutching her scalp. Through the noise, she asked for a glass of water. Fletcher brought it over to her as Skulduggery put a pair of handcuffs on the boy, Derek.  
“His name’s Derek, by the way. Why can I read minds?”  
“Why can I teleport?” Fletcher shrugged.  
“What if I don’t want to read minds?” she pleaded.  
Skulduggery sat beside her. “He could be a Sign. It’s your magic’s way of guiding you towards the right discipline. In a tough situation, you sought to understand your enemy. Fletcher chose to run, that’s why he’s a teleporter.”  
Fletcher frowned. “How do you know that?”  
“Lucky guess. I knew Elemental magic was for me the first time I tripped over my older brother, by moving a rock.”  
Alice smiled weakly.  
“Your magic is going to fight against another discipline. You’ll have a Surge when you’re about eighteen. You’ll swing towards reading minds, but you could also become an Elemental. I can teach you to be as strong in Elemental magic as you are just using natural mind reading. This has never happened to you before?”  
She shook her head, trying to absorb everything. “Perhaps not consciously. But you’re naturally perceptive. You knew how to get Valkyrie to agree to introduce you to her friends. You accepted magic easily, without explanation. You half-listen to people, but you still hear what they’re saying. I’m afraid you’ve been reading people all your life, just never their exact thoughts. It might be too late to change your magic but it’s never too late to learn another trick. We’ll learn how to block them out, as it gets stronger.”  
The boy looked a little sorry for her, but he brightened. “So I’m your first?”  
Fletcher laughed, and Skulduggery’s head swivelled to him, and Alice smiled wide.  
“So, time to find this Emmie, rescue the annoying older sister, kick some furry behinds and then we help them to move out to Ireland, where they will be accepted. I can guarantee post-Bisahalani America is not going to accept werewolves no matter what hoops they jump through, Derek. Oh, and the Irish Sanctuary knows where Valkyrie’s parents live. It’s probably where the American Sanctuary got their information from, for their hit, meaning-“  
“There’s a spy in the Irish Sanctuary,” Fletcher finished. “Again. Does anyone like Ireland?”  
“Good question,” a woman said from the front door.   
They all turned towards her voice, and Skulduggery sighed. “Grand Mage.”


	8. Chapter 8

Fletcher Renn had seen a lot of good-looking people in his life. Valkyrie Cain was his first, and prettiest, girlfriend. Tanith Low was so amazing that he’d had a brief, absorbed crush for the length of an afternoon. China Sorrows was otherworldly in her beauty. He certainly didn’t think he would finish calling Tanith Low about Valkyrie Cain’s kidnapping with China Sorrows and Alice Edgley in the same room. Alice herself was a whole different kettle of fish. 

Alice had long black hair that was casually messy. She had constantly spoken about wanting to cut it, according to Valkyrie. She sported no makeup, but her skin was a touch more tan than her sister’s. Her blue eyes were piercing enough to be a striking feature. She had two dimples that bit into her skin when she smiled. She was nice to look at, but it was hard to see her as pretty as Valkyrie had been at her age. He frowned, trying to remember her age. Fifteen, maybe? A stray thought tugged at him… he and Valkyrie were dating when she was fifteen.

Fletcher had visited Alice and her family for the five years Valkyrie spent away from the world. He had been a babysitter in big events in those years. He had kept up a steady stream of information for them, on the condition they would tell him if Valkyrie contacted them, and that they make a concerted effort not tot tell her. He wasn’t sure how she would take his involvement – and she didn’t need to get defensive. He genuinely liked looking after her family. Now her family could help her. Fletcher had said he wouldn’t be there when Alice found out about magic. Funny how things change quickly.

China sat on the couch delicately. The boy – Derek – was sitting against the wall. He was staring at Alice. Alice didn’t look at him. Fletcher knew that look. Since Valkyrie was away, he had to be the older sister. Brother. Whatever. He took Alice by the arm and escorted her out of the room before China could be introduced. Skulduggery was still catching her up on the story. Fletcher had given a briefer version to Tanith, but she had understood. China needed the full story to fully utilise her knowledge of werewolves. 

“Don’t trust Derek,” Fletcher told her sternly.  
He looked her in the eyes and she scowled. “Don’t do that. I’m getting… glimpses.”  
“Oh.” He thought for a moment. “Oh, right. Don’t feel sorry for Derek.”  
“Why would I?”  
“He’s a tough, rugged, bad-boy werewolf.”  
“When you put it like that…”  
“He’s exactly the same as the people who took Valkyrie.”  
“Stephanie wasn’t supposed to be kidnapped. I was. I read it in his mind. Besides, he isn’t like them.”  
“You’re defending him?” Fletcher’s voice rose.  
“It’s not his fault America is so…”  
“So he’s not to blame for the fur, either?”  
“He doesn’t have fur!”  
“Jesus, Alice! Don’t do a Valkyrie.”  
“What’s doing a Valkyrie, again?” She sounded a lot more keen to hear Fletcher, now.  
“Valkyrie and I… dated… for a while. She cheated on me with a dangerous vampire.”  
Alice’s blue eyes flickered to his face. She hugged him unexpectedly.  
“I suppose you always did like the hugs,” he mumbled, accepting it.  
She pulled away. “Fletcher… what do you mean, always?”  
“I-I…” He winced. “I used to babysit you, as a toddler. Uncle Fletcher. You were a cuddly kid.”  
She blinked. 

Her eyes slid onto his. He felt her mind bump into his. He smiled at the clumsiness. Wards protected his mind. She wouldn’t be able to get through. After a moment, he felt someone’s thoughts running parallel. Instead of a mind poking at his thoughts, hers gelled and stretched around his mind, looking in on a pond rather than diving in. An image of a tiny Alice running through the living room and tripping over her feet appeared. Earlier on, her christening, where Valkyrie cradled her to her chest while talking to Carol and Crystal flicked by. When Fletcher found her in the house after Melancholia attacked Valkyrie, checking the reflection was taking care of her. What Valkyrie looked like after Melancholia attacked her… he winced and Alice was out of his mind. She gagged and fell to her knees. 

“What the hell did you do to her?” Derek asked accusingly from the doorway.  
Fletcher knelt down and touched her arm and they appeared further away. He bared his teeth. “Get back in the living room.”  
“The skeleton said I could go to the bathroom.”  
Alice tilted her head up, but she didn’t look at Derek’s face. “I’m alright. It’s better than being in your head.”  
“I didn’t ask you to go rummaging in there,” Derek said, and then blushed. 

Alice got to her feet and brushed past Derek. He stilled until she was past. Fletcher bumped him on his way past and Derek let him. It made Fletcher dislike him more. His side still hurt. Alice sat on the couch and folded her legs up. Skulduggery had finished his story and talked directly to Fletcher. “You should check they are not residing in the Midnight Hotel. Pick up Dexter, after.”  
Fletcher nodded and glanced at Alice.  
She waved him away without looking up, and then winced.  
“I need to talk to you first,” he told Skulduggery.  
“If you insist.”

They walked into the hallway. Skulduggery was still hatless. He hadn’t been saying too much. Skulduggery was either angry or making a plan when he was quiet. Probably both, since Valkyrie was in danger. Bloody Americans. Skulduggery knew what everyone was thinking, and he wasn’t a blasted mind reader to do it. 

“Alice has been reading your mind,” Skulduggery said before Fletcher could speak.  
Fletcher sighed. “Out here, a minute ago.”  
“I meant in the room, how she waved you away without seeing your glance. When were you last updated? Against Sensitives, that is.”  
“It’s been a year or two,” Fletcher said defensively. “But we made eye contact earlier today and it was fine. What’s going on?”  
“I suspect Alice was reading your mind without context. Haggard doesn’t change much so she can believe she naturally knows everyone. The adrenaline and wishing to know what’s going on has meant that everything her subconscious has absorbed is being released, including how to consciously use her gift.”  
“You’ve seen this before?” Fletcher frowned.  
“When Valkyrie was taken over by Darquesse, I studied magic. Dexter will take her to Finbar – I sent a few texts while you called Tanith.”  
Fletcher didn’t bother answering and, a moment later, Skulduggery walked back into the living room and Fletcher stood in front of the famous Midnight Hotel.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed this! Not much action in this one, sorry!


	9. Chapter 9

The Midnight Hotel was a grand place of refuge, established by one of the most genuinely frightening people Emmie had ever known. By known, she meant vaguely, by some distance, in stories. Anton Shudder had made a magical hotel that transported people from various places around the world. He hadn’t left the Hotel to anyone – Irish or otherwise – so the Hotel transported to America every once in a while. It was said that nobody could bring the Midnight Hotel to submission. Emmie was told that the Hotel had a strict timeline to follow. America didn’t make the cut often, mostly because Anton Shudder hadn’t been a huge fan of America.

Emmie was waiting for the others to arrive. The Hotel wasn’t due to leave for hours. She pushed back the curtain of her room and saw the front door swinging shut. She walked to the stairway, phone in hand in case. Damian didn’t walk through. A boy pressed himself against the wall and cocked his head, listening. She hit the floor, already texting Damian. Someone’s here. Her backpack jolted against her shoulders. Did he see her? Was he from the Sanctuary? Her breath shuddered. She could be wrong. He could be an American Sanctuary official. Like they’d be anything more than trouble. “Emmie?” the boy called. “Werewolves?”

It must be someone from the American Sanctuary. Her stomach coiled. Cautiously, her head lifted from the ground. The boy held the journal-like ledger of bookings. He disappeared, appearing back at the counter. Her shock barely registered. He cocked his head and she saw his face. Fletcher freaking Renn. Irish operative. He vanished once more. “Dammit!” she exclaimed.

She clamped her hands over her stupid, stupid mouth. She rolled out of sight and tried to breathe quietly. The Hotel was quieter still. Her eyes shut and she tried to think of teleporting somewhere far away. It was a fantasy. She couldn’t go further than the reach of Ireland’s teleporter. 

“Are you alright? You aren’t moving, Emmie.”  
Her eyes snapped open. Fletcher Renn stood above her.  
“Shit.”

Fletcher kicked her in the stomach. The force sent her backwards and she rolled with it. The railing stopped her from tumbling over the edge. Fletcher crouched and reached for her and she snapped her leg out. It missed his ankle. He touched her shoulder and teleported her on the edge of the stairs. She got her feet beneath her. He pushed her and she clutched his wrist on instinct. His eyes betrayed his panic and they were on the ground floor. He teleported them back to the railing, and then pushed her once more.

Her back collided with the railing and flipped her in the open space. One of her flailing legs smacked his face and then she disappeared over the edge. She gasped and teleported above the grass outside. Her left leg took the brunt of the force and she felt pain splinter through its length before she hit the ground with her face. Worse, nausea wouldn’t let her get up. She hadn’t escaped. Her hands were clumsy and she tried her best to push herself up. Fletcher would be out soon. He was taking his time on purpose. Slowly, her arm got closer to her side. It took the effort of lifting an elephant, but she used her forearms to inch away from the Hotel. Gravel flew up from the space in front of her. She blinked as Damian’s car came to a halt mere metres away. Her feet wouldn’t move. In reach of the finish line, she couldn’t get up, let alone take the winning steps.

The young girl leaped from the car towards her. Fletcher Renn appeared in her way. To her credit, the were didn’t blink. She threw a punch, and then swiped with her other hand. He stumbled backwards and Emmie glimpsed droplets of blood on his face. His hand was stretched out while he struggled to keep his balance. Eda, the were, grabbed Emmie under her armpits. She carried her to the car and awkwardly shoved her in. Her head swam. Eda closed the door as the car sped away. Emmie flopped onto the girl beside. Her shoulders wriggled and writhed beneath Emmie’s head. She looked up to see the hostage struggling to get a look at the quickly disappearing figure of Fletcher Renn, dark eyes scared.

Damian sighed from the front seat. “Road trip, anyone?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Got busy with the school holidays, so sorry I haven't updated in ages! Quite a short chapter, too...

**Author's Note:**

> Feedback encouraged!


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